National fans warned of rail disruption

Horse facing fans heading the the Grand National by train next weekend have been warned that industrial action could affect their journey.

Northern Rail has published its revised timetable for services on Saturday, April 8, when it expects to run 822 trains, more than 32 per cent of its normal services.

Northern expects all services to be busy and advises its customers to give themselves extra time to travel and consider whether their journey is necessary.

To help keep as many racegoers as possible on the move as they travel into and out of Liverpool Lime Street as part of their journey to Aintree, Northern will operate two trains an hour from Manchester to Liverpool Lime Street from 8.44am, with capacity doubled to four carriages, two trains per hour from Wigan North Western from 9.33am and St Helens Central from 9.50am.

The last Northern train is scheduled to leave Liverpool Lime Street station at 6.30pm, before the Grand National event is over.

Customers who want to travel by train after then will need to use other train operators’ services from Liverpool Lime Street or consider alternative forms of travel for their journey home.

Paul Barnfield, regional director for Northern, said: “We are doing everything we can to keep customers on the move on April 8. Unfortunately planned strike action will severely limit our services, with the majority of the trains that we do run operating between 9am and 5pm.

“On Grand National day Northern usually provides additional train services to help as many people as possible into Liverpool to enjoy their day at Aintree.

“Wherever possible we have provided extra carriages on the trains we are able to operate, but racegoers need to know Northern’s last train out of Liverpool Lime Street will leave at 6.30pm. To get a Northern train home, visitors will need to leave Aintree well before the last races.”

“All of Northern’s services will be limited and we ask customers to plan their travel carefully.”

Passengers are urged to check revised timetables before they travel - full details are at northernrailway.co.uk/industrialaction.